Fly Agaric is a member of the is a member
of the Amanitaceae Family, a family of mushrooms that includes both
edible mushrooms, and some of the most poisonous (including the Death
Cap). The
mushroom has a convex top (also called a pileus) which flattens as it
ages, growing from 3-10 inches in diameter.
The underside of the pileus consists of white, closely spaced gills. The
cap is typically bright red in color with white warts and a white stem
that grows from 3-7 inches in height.

Fly Agaric is eaten some parts of
the world because it can induce hallucinations. However, this
species also contains a number of toxins that can be fatal if
present in sufficient quantity. Several deaths have been
attributed to this species in the US.

In the southwest, Fly Agaric
typically grows in moist pine woodlands. The
mushroom reproduces by means of white, dust-like spores which are
dispersed by the wind.